1. Srimad
Bhagavad Gita
Chapter 9
Raajavidyaa Raajaguhya Yogah:
Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret
Transliterated Sanskrit Text
Free Translation
&
Brief Explanation
By
T.N.Sethumadhavan
Published
In
Esamskriti.com
&
Medhajournal.com
Nagpur
September 2010
tnsethumadhavan@gmail.com
2. Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 9 (Part-1)
Raajavidyaa Raajaguhya Yogah:
Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret
T.N.Sethumadhavan
Preamble
This chapter explains how the Self - Atman - pervades the entire world. The wise seek the
Self while the ignorant, disregarding the Self, lead an empty life with vain hopes and
unfulfilled aspirations. They go through the endless cycle of birth and death. Confirming
the truth behind the saying that whatever one strives for, be it material or spiritual, one
attains that particular goal, the ignorant gain their limited, mundane ends but never find
accomplishment in their lives, whereas, the wise pursue the ultimate goal of Realization
and find absolute peace and bliss in their own Self. Sri Krishna, therefore, advises Arjuna
to seek the Self, to subsume all worldly activities to the Self until Spiritual Enlightenment
is reached.
Krishna begins the chapter by offering to impart the knowledge of Reality that pervades
the world and also as to the means of achieving this supreme knowledge and thereby free
oneself from all agitations and sorrows.
The previous Chapter of the Gita dealt with liberation by stages through the process of
meditation. But this way is not the only means of emancipation. A direct way is described
in this Chapter. This knowledge being unknown to the mankind at large, Krishna terms it
as a supreme secret and hence this Chapter is called ‘Yoga of Royal Knowledge and
Royal Secret’.
All living beings and inert things arise from the supreme Reality, exist in the Reality and
ultimately merge into the Reality. The periods of manifestation of the world and its
dissolution run into billions of years. The supreme Reality acts as the disinterested Self,
witnessing the entire creation and dissolution. Those who fail to pursue this knowledge
remain bound to the world of mortality. Krishna, therefore, appeals to the seekers to free
themselves from the manifest world and reach the unmanifest Reality and to discover the
Divinity that supports the pluralistic phenomenal existence.
The Text
SOVEREIGN MYSTERY
sri bhagavaan uvaacha
idam tu te guhyatamam pravakshyaamyanasooyave
jnaanam vijnaanasahitam yajjnaataa mokshyase’shubhaat // 9.1 //
Sri Bhagavan said
3. To you, O Arjuna, who do not criticize, I will propound this, the greatest mystery of
knowledge combined with realization, by understanding which you will bee released from
evil.
In this opening verse Sri Krishna assures Arjuna that He will reveal the theoretical
knowledge of the Self combined with Its intuitive perception. Such knowledge is the
direct means of attaining liberation. This knowledge about the Self dwelling in the body,
and about the identity of the individual self and the Supreme Self, is considered most
profound mystery because it has only to be realized through one's own experience or
spiritual intuition and cannot be expressed in any words.
Arjuna is considered to be the most suitable candidate to know this deep mystery because
he is free from jealousy and does not belong to the category of those who always find
fault with whatever others do or say. Jealousy-free mind only can absorb deep
knowledge, for jealousy is another form of ignorance.
Sri Bhagavan says that the one who receives this knowledge (a realized person) shall be
free from all irksome problems of life, can rule over circumstances and face adversities
with a smile. Krishna assures that by understanding that knowledge one will be released
from the evil i.e. bondage of the world.
GREATNESS OF THAT KNOWLEDGE
raajavidyaa raajaguhyam pavitramidamuttamam
pratyakshaavagamam dharmyam susukham kartumavyayam // 9.2 //
It is the Royal Science, Royal mystery, and the supreme purifier. It is perceived by direct
experience. It accords with Dharma, it is easy to practice and it is imperishable.
In order to develop enthusiasm in the pursuit of Self, perfection is praised in this verse.
Here the word secret or mystery means that which is too deep and striking and hence
Vedanta is a secret for the uninitiated which has to be unraveled by a person endowed
with scriptural knowledge.
Sri Krishna says that Vedanta, the science of life which is sovereign in its import, deep in
its substance and supreme in its purifying effects, is clearly comprehensible since it can
be verified by direct experience. It is knowledge by acquaintance and not by description.
The truth is waiting to be seen by us, if the obstructing veils are removed. The Supreme is
to be seen by one as one's own Self, through one's developed and purified intuition. The
gains obtained by pursuit of this Royal Science are of imperishable nature.
As a lamp, when lighted in a room, instantly destroys the accumulated darkness of the
ages, so the knowledge of Brahman, when realized in the heart, reduces to ashes the
accumulated karma of all the past ages. Hence it is called supreme purifier.
The Bliss of Brahman is as directly perceived as the feelings of pleasure and pain. An
object endowed with great qualities can also be against Dharma; but such is not the case
4. with the knowledge of Brahman which is easily acquired when taught by a qualified
teacher. It is always in accordance with Dharma. The Bliss arising out of the knowledge
of Brahman, though easily acquired, is eternal. Therefore the knowledge of Brahman
should be pursued by all who desire peace and happiness.
ashraddhadhaanaah purushaa dharmasyaasya parantapa
apraapya maam nivartante mrityusamsaaravartmani // 9.3 //
Those who have no faith in this knowledge of the Self and regard physical body itself as
the Self, O Parantapa, return to the path of mortal living.
Faith or unswerving conviction of the existence of God, the soul and immortality is the
prerequisite of spiritual life. Those without faith mean those who regard the physical
body as the self and do not believe in the indestructibility and immortality of the soul.
ELUCIDATION OF THE SOVEREIGN WISDOM
mayaa tatamidam sarvam jagadavyaktamoortinaa
matstaani sarvabhootani na chaaham teshvavasthitah // 9.4 //
All things in this universe are pervaded by Me in My unmanifest aspect; all beings exist
in Me but I do not exist in them.
na cha matsthaani bhootaani pashya me yogamaishwaram
bhootabhrinna cha bhootastho mamaatmaa bhootabhaavanah // 9.5 //
And yet the beings do not exist in Me; behold, that is My Divine mystery. My Spirit which
is the support of all beings and the source of all things does not dwell in them.
These two verse are very popular but yet difficult for easy comprehension. They require
considerable reflection.
As we have seen earlier whenever Bhagavan uses the word ‘ME’ it does not refer to him
as any individual but it means the Supreme Lord, the Ultimate Cause of All, the
Uncaused Cause. His unmanifested form is Consciousness, Atman which is imperceptible
to the senses. All things in the universe denote from the highest Brahma, the cosmic
Spirit, to a blade of grass. Nothing can exist in this world unless the Lord, the Spirit,
forms its substratum. Upanishads declare that the Lord, after creating the objects entered
them as their indwelling consciousness to enliven them. Brahman, God, exists as the
unmanifest Reality and pervades everywhere. Nothing exists other than Brahman. Yet
because of delusion we see only the manifested world of beings and not it’s underlying
Reality. We superimpose the illusory world on the eternal Reality, Brahman.
This is like a deluded person misunderstanding a post as a ghost in darkness. He is said to
superimpose the figure of ghost on the post on account of his wrong perception. The post
is the substratum of the ghost; the post pervades every part of the ghost; the ghost cannot
exist unless there is the post but the post can survive in spite of the absence of the ghost.
5. Similarly Brahman exists without the world, but the world’s existence depends upon
Brahman.
Hence Krishna declares this truth in Verse 4 above that All things in this universe are
pervaded by Him in His unmanifest aspect and that all beings exist in Him but He does
not exist in them. This is just like saying that the ghost exists in the post but the post does
not exist in the ghost. The post remains the source of the ghost. There can be no ghost
without the post, but the post can remain without the ghost.
A thing devoid of inner reality cannot exist or be an object of experience. The Lord is the
inner reality of everything. The reality of the Lord makes real everything in this world.
But the reality of the Lord does not depend upon the world. He always exists whether the
universe of names and forms exists or not.
The Lord is incorporeal and therefore has no real contact with the material world. He
cannot be contained in any object. He is self-existent and self-luminous. Only a fraction
of His majesty illumines the sun, the moon and the universe. But He himself is
transcendental.
Having said that, the Lord further declares in the Verse 5 that “All beings do not dwell in
Me; My spirit which is the support of all beings and the source of all things, does not
dwell in them”. On the face of it, this verse seems to contradict what was stated in the
previous verse. Verse 4 admits the existence of beings in Brahman while Verse 5 denies
the existence of beings in Brahman. A little critical analysis will remove this apparent
mismatch of ideas.
Applying the same previous example of the post and the ghost to this verse, it is like the
post telling that ‘The ghost is not in me nor I am in the ghost. In fact, there never was a
ghost. The ghost you perceive is only your imagination and not based on any fact or
reality. The only reality is I, the post. I was, I am and I will be (the post only). This is the
only truth from my standpoint’.
Thus the contradiction between these two verses is reconciled if we understand that there
is no real existence of the universe and the beings. The existence of beings admitted in
Verse 4 has only an illusory appearance to the eyes of the deluded. Beings do not actually
exist, Brahman alone exists. Those who are fortunate to have wisdom clearly perceive
and experience this truth. They see Brahman alone supporting the illusory phenomenon
of this universe.
While in dream state we do not see the connection between the dream world and our
mind. Only on waking up we understand such connection. Our mind alone projected the
dream world which on waking up disappeared. Similarly, on tuning to God-
consciousness, upon realizing the Self, we see the relation between the universe and God,
Brahman.
6. What is this relation? The infinite Lord cannot be contained in a finite universe. Then
why cannot the universe and the beings dwell in Him? The Lord, in reality, is neither the
container nor the contained. In Him there is not the slightest trace of duality. In His purest
essence He is above the law of cause and effect. In the final realization, the object and the
subject become one; the whole universe merges in the Lord. In that state the Lord
remains as One without a second, a homogeneous concentration of consciousness. The
concepts of container and contained, cause and effect, apply to the realm of manifestation
or maya. Through maya even though the Lord manifests in the tangible, relative universe,
and appears to be its cause and support, yet He is always One without a second,
transcendental, incorporeal and unattached. This is His eternal mystery - ‘My Divine
Mystery’ as the Lord puts it in the Verse 5.
HOW THE LORD SUPPORTS THE WORLD?
yathaakaashasthito nityam vaayuh sarvatrago mahaan
tathaa sarvaani bhootani matsthaaneetyupadhaaraya // 9.6 //
As the mighty wind moving everywhere rests always in space (The Akasa), even so you
know that all beings rest in Me.
It is really difficult for the ordinary intellect to comprehend the idea that a substance
which exists everywhere, allowing everything to exist in it, but at the same time it in
itself does not get conditioned by the things existing in it.
Although the wind moves everywhere in the space, exists in the space and is supported
by the space yet the wind does not put any limitation on the space. Space holds them all
but is touched by none. This illustrates the relationship between the Self and the Not-Self.
When the wind moves the space does not move. None of the qualities of the wind is the
quality of the space. So also, the Real supports the unreal which seemingly lives in the
Real and yet the unreal full of misery and sorrow can never condition the Real.
On the same analogy, without affecting the Lord in any way, good and evil, pain and
pleasure, and the other traits of this universe do not touch the Lord because from His
point of view they are illusory. He can never be touched by anything happening in time
and space. As a light cannot be affected by the good or evil deed done with its help, so
the soul, which in its essence is one with the Lord, cannot be affected by the good and
evil action of the body and mind.
MAYA IS THE CAUSE FOR CREATION & DISSOLUTION
sarvabhootaani kaunteya prakritim yaanti maamikaam
kalpakshaye punastaani kalpaadau visrijaamyaham // 9.7 //
O son of Kunti, all beings, go back to My nature at the end of a time-cycle (Kalpa); I
send them forth again at the beginning of the next cycle.
7. prakritim swaamavashtabhya visrijaami punah punah
bhootagraamamimam kritsnamavasham prakritervashaat // 9.8 //
Controlling My own nature, I again and again send forth all this multitude of beings,
helpless under the sway of maya.
In these two verses Sri Krishna describes how His power of maya is instrumental in the
process of creation and dissolution of the universe.
The whole process of creation, preservation and dissolution is due to the Lord’s maya,
His lower prakriti or nature consisting of the three gunas in their undifferentiated state
and yet He is unaffected by it. Vedanta while recognizing the fact of creation does not
approve of the act of creation. The Lord does not create the universe from nothing or
void, for nothing only can come out from nothing. Therefore Vedanta believes that the
Lord, because of His power of lower nature, maya, projects out of Himself (manifests) all
the names and forms at the time of creation. Consciousness or His higher nature endows
them with life.
At the end of the time-cycle, the names and forms of the manifested universe go back
into the seed state and remain merged in Prakriti. At this state the three gunas of Prakriti
remain in equilibrium. When this balance is disturbed, again creation takes place. This
process of creation and dissolution is without beginning. Thus the better terms to
indicate creation and dissolution are manifestation or evolution and mergence or
involution. The Lord, in His pure essence, remains unaffected by the activities of His
maya, though the insentient maya is activated because of its proximity to the Lord.
Verse 8 says that the Lord, with the help of Prakriti manifests the universe. Because of
His very proximity, insentient Nature acts. Maya or Prakriti is under His control. But Jiva
or the created being is under the control of maya.
Living beings come out of Prakriti which remains dormant at the end of the previous
cycle. Dissolution or the state in which the three gunas remain at perfect balance is called
the sleep (dormant state) of Prakriti.
The beings at the end of the previous cycle merged in Prakriti are still under the influence
of maya or ignorance. As Prakriti becomes active at the beginning of the next cycle, the
beings also assume appropriate births according to their past karma.
Since the creation is falsely superimposed upon the Lord, what is perceived to be the
universe existing in time and space is, from the point of Reality, nothing but the Lord
Himself. Just as in the illusion of a rope appearing as a snake, the falsely perceived snake
is in reality nothing but the rope.
IS THE LORD PARTIAL?
na cha maam taani karmaani nibadhnanti dhananjaya
udaaseenavadaaseenamasaktam teshu karmasu // 9.9 //
8. These acts do not bind Me, O Dhanajaya, for I remain unattached to them as one
unconcerned.
Because the Lord is responsible for the manifestation of heterogeneous beings of unequal
conditions, a question arises whether He is guilty of partiality as we normally think. This
issue is answered here. The Lord says that He is unconcerned about fruit of His action
relating to the creation of unequal and diverse beings.
It is attachment to the fruit that binds. He is unconcerned because He is totally devoid of
the feeling of “I do”. The creation belongs to the realm of maya and the Lord is beyond
maya. There is no relationship between the Lord and creation just as there is no contact
between the desert and the mirage. He is totally free from any desire, purpose, motive or
agency so far as the creation is concerned.
Wherever and whenever egocentric actions are performed with selfish desires, they leave
behind their impressions either pleasant or unpleasant. However, in the case of the Self
which is Eternal there is neither attraction nor aversion in these actions i.e. in the creation
and dissolution of the Universe. It is unmindful of what type of world is projected or
what kind of activities take place therein.
The Self is neutral or indifferent to everything. It does nothing nor does It cause anything
to be done. The Self has no attachment to the fruits of Its actions nor has It any egocentric
feeling of agency or doership just as an Umpire is not interested in the results of the game
he is umpiring. Therefore, the actions involved in creation and dissolution do not bind
The Lord.
The absence of egocentric feelings of doership and attachment to fruits of actions is the
cause for freedom from Dharma and Adharma or virtue and vice. The ignorant man who
works with egoism and with a desire for the rewards of his actions is bound by his own
actions.
mayaadhyakshena prakritih sooyate sacharaacharam
hetunaanena kaunteya jagadwiparivartate // 9.10 //
By reason of My proximity, Prakriti produces all things, the moving and the unmoving;
because of this, O Kaunteya the world revolves.
The finite acts because of the Infinite and yet the Infinite is said to be neutral. This
strange relationship between the finite and the Infinite is explained here. The Lord
presides over only as a witness; nature does everything. By reason of His proximity or
presence, nature sends forth the moving and the unmoving. The prime cause of this
creation is nature or prakriti.
Although all actions are done with the help of the light of the sun, yet the sun cannot
become the doer of all actions. Similarly, the Lord cannot become the doer of actions
eventhough nature does all actions with the help of the light of the Lord.
9. As the Self illumines ignorance or maya, which is the material cause of this world, the
Self is regarded as the cause of this world. The magnet is indifferent although it makes
the iron pieces move on account its proximity.
Similarly, The Lord remains indifferent although He makes the nature-Prakriti- create the
world. He presides over the world which consists of moving and unmoving objects as a
witness. By His presence the wheel of the manifested and unmanifested beings revolves
round and round.
The question why The Lord created the world when He is a mere witness is a mystic one.
We cannot say that the purpose of creation is meant for the enjoyment of the Supreme;
for the Supreme is devoid of desire and does not enjoy. It is pure consciousness, a mere
witness. And there is no other enjoyer for there is no other consciousness; A question
arises whether is creation intended to secure heaven for it is opposed to heaven. Thus the
question regarding the purpose of creation cannot be asked if one remembers that
creation is maya or an illusion.
In Verses 7 to 10 The Lord defines His position through easy steps leading to a subtle
concept which may appear contradictory. He begins by saying that He projects all beings
at the beginning of evolution; Prakriti is only an instrument in His hands. Next, He says,
He is not affected by the act, since He sits by, as the one neutral, perfectly unattached.
Lastly, He tells the final truth that He really does nothing, that it is Prakriti, activated by
His proximity produces the universe. It is His light that lights up the Prakriti and makes it
live and act. This is the only relation between the Lord and His Prakriti.
The important point for us to note in these Verses 7 to 10 is that Sri Krishna imparts the
subtle knowledge that Brahman, being neutral, remains apart as a silent witness of all that
happens in the phenomenal world of the animate and inanimate.
DEVOTION TO THE SUPREME BRINGS ITS GREAT REWARDS
avajaananti maam moodhaah maanusheem tanumaashritam
param bhaavamajaananto mama bhootamaheshwaram // 9.11 //
Unaware of My higher nature as the Supreme Lord of all beings, fools disregard Me,
when I assume a human form.
From time to time the Lord assumes a human form so that men may attain a godly nature.
In that state the Lord acts outwardly like a human being though always remaining in full
possession of the knowledge that He is unattached to anything material and that He is the
very Self of all beings. The deluded only see Him acting as a man and therefore disregard
Him as an ordinary human being while the wise understand Him as the Supreme Self.
moghaashaa moghakarmaano moghajnaanaa vichetasah
raakshaseemaasureem chaiva prakritim mohineem shritaah // 9.12 //
10. Of vain hopes, of vain actions, of vain knowledge and senseless, they definitely are
possessed of the delusive nature of Rakshasas and Asuras.
`They' refers to those described in the previous verse. Rakshasas are those having
Tamasic nature who indulge in acts of cruelty. Asuras are those having Rajasic nature
with qualities of ambition, greed, and the like. They cling to the world of transient forms
with the hope of finding peace and happiness and are victims of their own deceitful
nature and disregard the Lord, who dwells in them as their underlying Reality.
mahaatmaanastu maam paartha daiveem prakritimaashritaah
bhajantyananyamanaso jnaatwaa bhootaadimavyayam // 9.13 //
But the Mahatmas (great souls) O Partha, possessing the Divine nature worship Me with
undisturbed minds knowing Me as the imperishable origin of all beings.
Deceitful nature mentioned above is contrasted with Divine nature. People of Demoniac
nature live in their ego consciousness making it as a centre of their activities and get lost
in the fruitless Samsara missing their true destiny. On the other hand people of wisdom
who possess divine or saatwic nature and are endowed with self-restraint, mercy, faith,
purity etc., know Him as the origin of all beings just as those who know the mud to be the
origin of all mud pots will see the mud in all pots. They worship Him with single minded
devotion. Their whole life becomes a continuous adoration of the Supreme and hence
they are Mahatmas.
satatam keertayanto maam yatantashcha dridhavrataah
namasyantashcha maam bhaktyaa nityayuktaa upaasate // 9.14 //
Always glorifying Me, striving with firm resolve, bowing down to Me in devotion, always
steadfast, they worship Me.
These great souls always sing His glory, committed to lead a spiritual life of self-
redemption with determination to reject the False and to pursue the path of the Real. They
prostrate before The Lord with total detachment and surrender of all false identifications
with their own matter-envelopments. They worship Him with great faith and devotion
keeping in mind the nature of the Self as the substratum of the entire Universe and the
essence of all beings. They represent the highest perfection of a combination of
knowledge, devotion and work.
jnaanayajnena chaapyanye yajanto maamupaasate
ekatwena prithaktwena bahudhaa vishwatomukham // 9.15 //
Others again offer the oblation of knowledge and worship Me either as the one with them
or as the distinct from them and still others in various ways worship Me whose form is
the whole universe.
11. Oblation of knowledge implies that the knowledge of the Lord is itself a Yajna. The
destruction of ignorance with fires of knowledge is called Gnana Yagna - Wisdom
Sacrifice It implies that for the purpose of invoking Right Knowledge false ideas in us
must be thrown into the flames of Right Knowledge. The Gnana Yagna has no ritualism.
It is a constant attempt on the part of the performer to see the Consciousness Principle in
every familiar name and form in all conditions and situations. It means an understanding
that the Immutable Self pervades all, holding together the phenomenal multiplicities.
They offer their worship from the non-dualistic view or from the dualistic view. The man
of realization identifies himself with the All-formed which is the view of Advaita. Some
worship Him by making a distinction between The Lord and themselves which is the
Dualistic view (Dvaita). Some worship Him with the knowledge that He exists as the
various Divinities like Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra etc (Vishishtaadvaita).
aham kraturaham yajnah swadhaahamahamaushadham
mantro’hamahamevajyam ahamagniraham hutam // 9.16 //
I am the Kratu, I am the Yajna - the sacrifice, I am the Svadha - the offering (food) to the
ancestors, I am the Aushadha - the medicinal plants and herbs, I am the Mantra, I am the
Ajya - the melted butter (Ghee), I am the fire, and I am the oblation.
Verses 16 - 19 explain how all the different types of worship performed in variety of
forms become the worship of the one Self - the essence behind the seeming plurality of
the world which is nothing but a superimposition gaining its existence from the Reality
behind it. In this verse the existence of Self everywhere is explained giving the example
of ritualistic worship widely prevalent in Arjuna's time. He is told that all the methods of
worship are nothing but the worship of the Self.
Not only the different ritualistic prescriptions (Yajna) are presided over by the Self but all
the vegetable food and medicinal herbs used in the sacrifice (Aushadha), the ghee poured
into the altar of fire (Ajya), the oblations (Hutam) offered, the fire that is invoked (Agni),
the mantras chanted with which oblation is offered, the food offered to the ancestors
(Svadha) and the Kratu- a kind of Vedic rite are all nothing but the Self expressed in
different ways and through different fields.
The Vedic sacrifice is interpreted as an offering of our whole nature, an entire self giving
to the Universal Self. What we receive from Him we give back to Him. The gift and
surrender are both His.
Through the symbol of sacrifice the Lord suggests that He alone forms all the accessories
of worship and also the act and the result of the sacrifice.
pitaahamasya jagato maataa dhaataa pitaamahah
vedyam pavitramonkara rik saama yajureva cha // 9.17 //
12. I am the father of this universe - the mother, the sustainer, the grandfather, the purifier,
the knowable, the sacred mono-syllable OM and also the Rig, Sama and the Yajur Vedas.
In order to show that the Self permeates everywhere The Lord says that He is the father,
the mother, the sustainer, the grandfather and the purifier of the worlds. He is the one
thing to be known because the Self is that which having known, everything becomes
known. The Self, the substratum of the entire living universe, is symbolized by the Vedic
mantra called OM. Life, which is the flow of constant experiences, implies the sum-total
of all experiences in each one of us during the waking, dreaming and deep-sleep states.
The substratum for these three states and their experiences must be something other than
the super-impositions on it just as the container is different from the contained. The
fourth state supporting the ordinary states of consciousness in every one of us is termed
Turiya. The sacred symbol OM represents all these four states. Therefore the Ultimate
indicated by OM is the Self. This Absolute Reality is the theme of all the Vedas and
therefore it is said that ` I am also the Rik, Sama and Yajus.
gatirbhartaa prabhuh saakshee nivaasah sharanam suhrit
prabhavah pralayah sthaanam nidhaanam beejamavyayam // 9.18 //
I am the Goal, the Supporter, the Lord, the Witness, the Abode, the Shelter, the Friend,
the Origin, the Dissolution, the Foundation, the Treasure-house and the Seed which is
imperishable.
The Lord continues the enumeration of Brahman’s various manifestations. He is :
The Goal (Gati): The Self is the goal because when the imperfections of the world of
multiplicities are crossed over, the Absolute abode of Reality is experienced.
The Supporter (Bharta): Just as the desert supports the mirage, the Self lends a semblance
of reality to the varied perceptions of the sense organs and thus holding together the ever-
so-many changes into a consistent pattern which is called life.
The Lord (Prabhu): The Self, as the Pure Awareness. is beyond the sorrows and joys of
the apparent and delusory universe just as electric energy is beyond the characteristics of
its own manifestation through varied equipments.
The Witness (Saakshee): The Self is a mere witness and not a participant as It is an
uninterested illuminator of what is happening in the body, mind and intellect as well as in
the world outside.
The Abode (Nivasah): When different minds on different occasions project different
forms and moods of a ghost on the same lamp post, the post is said to be the abode of
different ghosts. So too, whenever our sense organs experience the pluralistic phenomena
of the world, the Self or the Awareness is their abode.
13. The Shelter (Sharanam): The Self is the refuge or the harbor of tranquility which protects
the confused ego from the sorrows and pains of Samsar.
The Friend (Suhrith): the Infinite is always the friend of the finite giving the latter
security and well-being.
The Origin and Dissolution, the Substratum and the Store-house: As mud is in all pots,
gold is in all ornaments, the Self is in the universe. Therefore, all things can come to
manifestation and dissolve into the unmanifest only on the basis of a substratum. Hence
the substratum, the Self, is the store-house of all names, forms and qualities that
constitute the world.
The Immutable Seed (Beejam Avyayam) : In contrast with the other seeds which undergo
changes when they germinate , although the Self is the origin of all beings, It remains
imperishable or unchanged even after beings arise out of it. It is therefore Immutable i.e.
It endures so long as the Samsara endures.
tapaamyahamaham varsham nigrihnaamyutsrijaami cha
amritam chaiva mrityushcha sadasacchaaham arjuna // 9.19 //
As the sun I give heat; I withhold and send forth the rain; I am immortality and also
death ; both being and Non-being, O Arjuna.
This verse explains that the Self is the essence and the ruling factor behind all
phenomenal objects and happenings in the universe.
I gave heat: Just as electricity conditioned through various equipments expresses itself as
heat in a heater, light in a bulb and cold in a fridge, the Self, the Existence itself,
identifying with the phenomenon called the sun becomes the source of heat for the entire
universe.
I withhold and send forth rain: The sun influences the climatic conditions of the universe
thereby causing rainfall or drought.
I am immortality and also death: Self being the spark of life, It gives realistic experiences
of existence in the world including to the phenomenon called death. Once it is realized
that the Self is Immutable and Eternal, the state of immortality is reached. Change is what
is called death and therefore the Self is the illuminator of change, Itself ever changeless.
I am the Being and Non-Being : Sat (existence) and Asat (non-existence) are the terms
used in Vedanta to indicate cause and effect, the manifest and unmanifest. The Self being
that Illuminating factor without which neither manifest nor unmanifest can be
experienced, the Self is conceived of as the Essence in both the manifest and unmanifest.
He is being when manifested and non-being when the world is unmanifested.
14. The main idea is that the devotees regard the Lord in various ways and follow different
methods of worship. The Supreme Lord grants our prayers in whatever form we worship
Him.
Concepts and Issues
Observing that Arjuna was endowed with faith , free from fault finding nature and
qualified to receive the sacred divine knowledge Sri Krishna says that He will disclose
the Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret which will make him realize The Lord in him by
direct experience. This knowledge is imperishable, knowing which one will become free
from the evil of worldly existence. The Lord says that due to lack of faith in this
knowledge, in its manifest and unmanifest aspects, people fail to realize Him and suffer
in consequence.
Sri Krishna says that all beings are pervaded by Him and dwell in His unmanifest form
like the wind moving everywhere but always resting in space. Although The Lord is the
creator, destroyer and sustainer of the world, He stands as a witness indifferent and
unattached to these processes.
The ignorant identify Him with nature or regard Him as a mortal during His incarnations
for protecting Dharma. They do not see God in the Universe and have no knowledge of
the Self which dwells within the body. They do not see the Unity in the Diversity. They
fail to see the ocean beneath the waves.
They run after the transient objects and miss the eternal. They have no discrimination or
right understanding. The knowers of the Truth see the Reality in externality also. They
feel a oneness with all. They chant God's name always. They worship Him with wisdom
sacrifice. They see the formless one as distinct and manifold.
He explains to Arjuna His identity with the Universe. The Lord’s enumeration of His
different manifestations has been tabulated below for easy reference.
15. Different Manifestations of Brahman
1 kratuh Vedic ritual 19 gatih Supreme goal
2 yajnah Sacrifice 20 bhartaa Supporter
3 Svadhaa Offering to the
departed
21 prabhuh Lord
4 aushadham Herbage & food
grains
22 saakshee Witness
5 mantrah Sacred chanting 23 nivaasah Abode
6 ajyam Clarified butter 24 sharanam Shelter
7 agnih Sacred fire 25 suhrit Well-wisher
8 hutam Offering oblations in
fire
26 prabhavah Origin
9 pitaa Father 27 pralayah Dissolution
10 maataa Mother 28 sthaanam Resting place
11 dhaataa Sustainer 29 nidhaanam Store-house
12 pitaamaha Grandsire 30 avyayambeejam Imperishable seed
13 vedyam The one worth
knowing
31 tapaamy Radiate heat as the
Sun
14 pavitram Purifier 32 varsham Rainfall
15 omkara Sacred syllable OM 33 amritam Immortality
16 rik Rg Veda 34 mrityuh Death
17 saama Sama Veda 35 sat Being
18 yajuh Yajurveda 36 asat Non-being
As Described in Verses 16 - 19
If one understands correctly the following verses dealing with the Divine Mystery in this
section of the Gita one can be aware of the concepts of Creation and Brahman.
All things in this universe are pervaded by Me in My unmanifest aspect; all beings exist
in Me but I do not exist in them. 9.4
And yet the beings do not exist in Me; behold, that is My Divine mystery. My Spirit
which is the support of all beings and the source of all things does not dwell in them. 9.5
O Son of Kunti, all beings, go back to My nature at the end of a time-cycle (Kalpa); I
send them forth again at the beginning of the next cycle. 9.7
Controlling My own nature, I again and again send forth all this multitude of beings,
helpless under the sway of maya. 9.8
16. Live as the Gita Teaches You to Live
In this Chapter Sri Krishna advises Arjuna to do every thing as an offering to The Lord.
All actions thus become a symbol of devotion and help remembering God.
Submission to the Divine is the essence of spiritual sadhana. The following verses tell us
how to go about in that path.
But the Mahatmas (great souls) O Partha, possessing the Divine nature worship Me with
undisturbed minds knowing Me as the imperishable origin of all beings. 9.13
Always glorifying Me, striving with firm resolve, bowing down to Me in devotion,
always steadfast, they worship Me. 9.14
Points to Ponder
1. What are the knowledge and secret revealed by The Lord in this Chapter? Why they
are called Royal?
2. What is the truth behind the world we perceive?
3. Enumerate the different kinds of worship.
4. What should be the ingredients for an offering to The Lord?
5. Does the Lord show any partiality in bestowing His grace on the devotees?
6. Short notes on:
Divine Mystery
Creation
Brahman
Attributes of the Lord
Submission to the Lord
Next time we will proceed from the Verse 9.20
HARIH OM
17. Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 9 (Part-2)
Raajavidyaa Raajaguhya Yogah:
Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret
T.N.Sethumadhavan
Preamble
The variety of human pursuits and how each gains its particular objective in life are
described now. These pursuits fall under three distinct types of activities in the world.
The persons belonging to the first type act with self-centered interests in this world. They
go about their activities merely fulfilling their ego and egocentric desires. Consequently
they suffer from mental agitations and sorrow (papa).
Others in the second category work unselfishly for higher and nobler goals in life. They
serve and sacrifice for their chosen ideal. They gain the joys of heaven (punya).
The third variety seeks spiritual Enlightenment. They strive for liberation through their
devout offerings to the Supreme Being. They oblate their actions, feelings and thoughts
to their altar of Self-realization. Such seekers become liberated from their mundane
existence and gain the ultimate bliss of Realization.
A seeker’s direction in the spiritual path matters more than his spiritual status. A
righteous person may move towards worldly attractions and devolve spiritually, whereas
an unrighteous person may take to the spiritual path and evolve. Therefore, in the
spiritual life what really matters is not where you are but what direction you choose to
take – the path of evolution or devolution.
The discussion in this Chapter concludes with the encouraging words that anyone can
attain Enlightenment through devotion and dedicated effort towards the Supreme Self.
The Text
NON-WORSHIPPERS ARE CAUGHT IN THE WHEEL OF BIRTH & DEATH
traividyaa maam somapaah pootapaapaa yajnairishtwaa swargatim praarthayante
te punyamaasaadya surendralokamashnanti divyaandivi devabhogaan // 9.20 //
The knowers of the three Vedas, the drinkers of Soma, purified of all sins, worshipping
Me by sacrifices, pray for the way to heaven: they reach the holy world of The Lord of
the Gods (Indra) and enjoy in heaven the divine pleasures of the gods.
te tam bhuktwaa swargalokam vishaalam ksheene punye martyalokam vishanti
evam trayeedharmamanuprapannaa gataagatam kaamakaamaa labhante // 9.21 //
18. They having enjoyed the vast heaven, return to the world of mortals when their merits are
exhausted; thus abiding by the injunctions of the three Vedas and desirous of enjoyments,
they are subject to birth and death.
The Lord refers to the Vedic Theory that those who perform rituals gain heavenly
enjoyments after death and points out how it cannot be regarded as the highest goal. Such
men are bound by the law of karma as they are still lured by desire and they will return to
this cosmic procession since they act from an ego-centre and since their ignorance is not
destroyed.
If we seek rewards in heaven, we will gain them but we return to mortal existence so long
as we do not gain the true aim of life. Human life is an opportunity to develop soul's
divine nature from the imperfect material we are composed of. We operate from the ego-
centered consciousness, whether we seek the pleasures of this world or a future paradise
and therefore do not gain liberation from the ever running wheel of birth and death.
ananyaashchintayanto maam ye janaah paryupaasate
teshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam yogakshemam vahaamyaham // 9.22 //
To these men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, to those ever self-controlled, I
secure which is not already possessed (Yoga) and preserve what they already possess
(Kshema).
The case of those who worship the Eternal (with love free from any desire) as the
Substratum for the entire Universe is illustrated here. They meditate upon The Lord as
the one and the only reality behind the entire universe. Sri Krishna promises them Yoga -
more and more spiritual enlightenment and Kshema - the final liberation resulting from
the Yoga.
This verse can be interpreted to mean that The Lord takes up all the cares and burdens of
His devotees. To become conscious of divine love, all other love must be abandoned. If
we cast ourselves entirely on the mercy of God, He bears all our sorrows. We can depend
on His saving grace and energizing care. The Lord promises complete protection or final
merger with His Immortal Being to those who love Him with all their body, heart and
soul.
This Verse conveys the central theme of the Gita and is very famous.
WORSHIPPING OF OTHER GODS
yepyanyadevataa bhaktaa yajante shraddhaya’anvitaah
te’pi maameva kaunteya yajantyavidhipoorvakam // 9.23 //
Even those devotees, who endowed with faith, worship other Gods, worship Me alone, O
Son of Kunti, by the wrong method.
19. All do not worship at the same altar since tastes differ from person to person. Although
they worship at the different altars, they adore the same Vitality that is the substratum for
all the created world of change. Thus even when they worship different deities with
perfect faith, all of them invoke nothing but the One Eternal Truth expressed through
different forms of worship.
Once it is agreed that the Infinite Reality is the One without a second, which remains the
same in the past, present and future, it will be clear that the Self as Consciousness
expressed through the instruments of different saints, sages, prophets and incarnations is
one and the same wherever and whenever they are born and functioned among the people
of their times. Hence Sri Krishna declares that they too worship Me alone, eventhough by
wrong methods.
The term other Gods referred to in this verse means different forms or aspects of the
single God-hood like Indra, Varuna etc., which the man assumes in his different Gunas.
Such worshipers are said to follow wrong methods because while worshipping when
there is a possibility of achieving the Highest - Realization of the Self, Liberation - they
pray for ordinary things of life like health, wealth etc. Because of this ignorance they
come back to the world to satisfy their unfulfilled desires.
aham hi sarvayajnaanaam bhoktaa cha prabhur eva cha
na tu maamabhijaananti tattwenaatashchyavanti te // 9.24 //
(For) I alone am the enjoyer in and the Lord of all sacrifices; but they do not know Me in
essence and hence they fall (return to this mortal world).
This verse explains why these methods are wrong and why the pursuers of these wrong
methods return to the mortal world when they have finished enjoying the joys of heaven
which were the rewards for their merits acquired through ritualism.
These methods are wrong because only a limited potentiality of the Supreme is invoked
and Its infinite glory is not realized. Hence they fall into the delusory mundane world
again and again.
The Lord alone is the enjoyer of all sacrifices and the lord of all sacrifices. As a result of
their sacrifices they attain a higher plane to enjoy their merits. However as they perform
the worship without recognizing the Supreme and as they do not consecrate their actions
to Him, they return to the mortal world after their merits have been exhausted.
yaanti devavrataa devaan pitreenyaanti pitrivrataah
bhutaani yaanti bhutejyaa yaanti madyaajino‘pi maam // 9.25 //
The worshippers of the Devas or Gods go to the Devas; to the pitris or ancestors go the
ancestor-worshippers; to the Bhutas or the elements go the worshippers of the Bhutas ;
but those who worship Me come to Me.
20. `Devas' represent the various sense-organs by the activities of which the world is
experienced. In other words the word `Devas' means the entire field of all physical
experiences. Those who solicit the external world of joys and successes consistently and
with the required amount of devotion, come to gain such enjoyments. The worshippers of
ancestors mean those who strive to live up to the cultural purity and traditions of their
ancients. Such an individual gains the beauty and perfection of a pure life. The
worshippers of the Bhutas reach the Bhutas indicate that even for those who diligently
pursue the understanding of nature success is assured to the extent of their efforts made.
But these are the limited forms of the Supreme and cannot give the aspiring soul the
peace that is beyond all understanding. The result of worship is assimilation to the form
worshipped and these limited forms give limited results. But devotion to the Supreme
brings the supreme reward of merging with the Self and such persons become on with
Brahman.
DEVOTION AND ITS EFFECTS
patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktyaa prayacchati
tadaham bhaktyupahritamashnaami prayataatmanah // 9.26 //
Whoever offers Me with devotion and a pure mind, a leaf, a flower, a fruit or a little
water - that I accept (the devout gift of the pure minded).
A gift, however small, is accepted by The Lord when it is offered with profound faith and
devotion. He is satisfied even with a leaf, a flower, a fruit or a little water when it is
offered with single-minded devotion and pure heart. What is offered is not as important
as how it is offered. Although all the objects of the world belong to Him only and not to
the devotee, yet if they are offered to Him by a devotee they become the conveyors of the
latter's love and dedication unto The Lord.
Therefore the offerings serve their purpose only if they are accompanied by (a) devotion
and (b) pure mind and heart. If these qualities are absent they are mere economic waste,
vanity and false belief breeding superstition. On the other hand, if properly done, they are
the means of transport in the spiritual path of self-development.
The way to the Highest is not by way of subtle metaphysics or complicated ritual. It is by
sheer self-giving, which is symbolized by the offer of a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water.
WHY AT ALL THE LORD REQUIRES OFFERING FROM A SEEKER?
yatkaroshi yadashnaasi yajjuhoshi dadaasi yat
yattapasyasi kaunteya tatkurushva madarpanam // 9.27 //
Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give
away, whatever you practice as austerity, O Kaunteya, do it as an offering to Me.
21. This verse explains how through all activities of life one can constantly live in the spirit
of `devout offering' unto the Supreme. It is repeatedly said in the Gita that mental attitude
is of utmost importance than the mere physical act and this fact is generally overlooked
by the seekers.
The Lord being the creator and sustainer of all objects needs nothing from anybody. All
that is required by Him is the devotion expressed through the spirit of offering. Sri
Krishna therefore says that even simple common tasks of daily life like what we eat, what
we offer in sacrifices, what we give as gifts and what we practice as austerity, can be
done as a sacred offering unto the Eternal and thereby a constant remembrance of the
Supreme can be maintained although undergoing the vagaries of life.
When all the activities of life are performed with a spirit of offering, not only our love to
the Supreme increases in us but also our entire life becomes sanctified with a nobler and
diviner focus. A devotee who constantly remembers the Substratum behind everything in
life can give to life the respect and reverence that it deserves and in turn the life bestows
its rewards on him. Love of God is not an escape from harshness of life but a dedication
for service. Karma Yoga or the way of works which starts with the duty of performance
of prescribed rites concludes with the position that all tasks are sanctified when done with
disinterestedness and dedication.
The message is when all actions are consecrated unto Him with disinterestedness and
dedication they become sanctified by which one is freed from the bondage of Karma with
no re-birth to him. The individual becomes one with the Cosmic Will.
It is appropriate to quote here a verse from Adi Sankara’s “Siva Manasa Pooja” which
reads:
Aatmaa tvam girijaa matih sahacharaah praanaah shariiram griham |
Poojaa te vishhayopabhogarachanaa nidraa samaadhisthitih |
Sajnchaarah padayoh pradakshinavidhih stotraani sarvaagiro |
Yadyat karma karomi tat tad akhilam shambho tavaaraadhanam||
You are my self, Parvati is my understanding. My five praanaas are your attendants. My
body is your house, and all the pleasures of my senses are objects to use for your
worship. My sleep is your state of samaadhii. Wherever I walk I am walking around you
(pradakshina), everything I say is a prayer in praise of you. Whatever act is done by me,
every one of them, O Lord, is worship unto You.
Dedication of all our activities to the Supreme is the corner-stone for spiritual awakening.
RESULT OF SUCH DEDICATION OF ACTIVITIES
shubhaashubhaphalairevam mokshyase karmabandhanaih
sannyaasa yogayuktaatmaa vimukto maamupaishyasi // 9.28 //
22. You shall thus be freed from the bondage of actions yielding good and evil results. With
your mind firmly set on the Yoga of renunciation you shall become free and come to Me.
Sri Krishna continues the theme how by living the life in a spirit of surrendering the fruit
of all actions to the Lord, an individual achieves the highest perfection. When actions are
undertaken by an individual without ego, their reactions, good or bad, cannot bind him
because the vasanas in him were already eliminated due to egoless actions and absence of
egocentric desires and the mind already got purified.
The next stage is to live a life of Sanyasa and Yoga. The word Sanyasa does not mean
physical rejection of the world. It is a renunciation of all egocentric activities and all
cravings for fruits of actions. The offering of all works to the Lord constitutes the yoga of
renunciation.
Such a life would be possible for those who dedicate all the end results of their actions
unto The Lord. To the one who thus lives the life of Sanyasa, Yoga is natural as through
out all of his activities he remembers only The Lord, the Self, the Infinite. Such a seeker
discovers the futility of his earlier identification with the false and realizes his own
Divine Nature. Hence the seeker is promised that he will go to the Supreme and even
while living in the body one will be free from the bondage of action.
samo’ham sarvabhooteshu na me dweshyosti na priyah
ye bhajanti tu maam bhaktyaa mayi te teshu chaapyaham // 9.29 //
I am the same toward all beings; to Me there is none hateful or dear. But those who
worship Me with devotion, are in Me and I am also in them.
I am in all beings: The self is one in all beings; the same Consciousness Principle
illumines the emotions and thoughts in all living creatures just as the same sun
illuminates all objects in the world and its rays get reflected on all surfaces whether
polished or rough.
To Me there is none hateful or dear: The Self is always the same everywhere and It
neither bears distinction between the good and bad nor does It entertain love or hatred for
any living being just as the same sunlight reflects on the surfaces of different types of
objects, the quality of reflections being different on account of the varying quality of the
respective surfaces. On the same analogy if some people show better spiritual
development as compared to others it cannot be presumed that the Self is partial towards
or showing any special preference to the former or having any prejudice against the latter.
But those who worship Me with devotion are in Me and I too am in them: Having said
that the Self has neither love nor hatred towards anybody The Lord says that those who
worship the Self with devotion rediscover that they themselves are none other than the
Self that is worshipped by them.
23. The idea is that the Eternal Self does not choose any individual for bestowing Its grace
but the individuals themselves create such environment in themselves that they
rediscover the Self in themselves. A mind pre-occupied with egocentric attachments with
the non-Self cannot realize the Bliss while the same mind if it is made to detach itself
from all the extrovert diversions it realizes its identity with the Self. From this sense we
can say that the worshipper with devotion is `blessed' by The Lord and so he is in Him
and He too is in the worshipper.
api chet suduraachaaro bhajate maamananyabhaak
saadhureva samantavyah samyagvyavasito hi sah // 9.30 //
Even if the most sinful man worships Me with unswerving devotion, he must be regarded
as righteous, for he has formed the right resolution.
Bhakti is selfless contemplation with a single-pointed mind upon the non-dual Brahman
who is none other than the essence of the devotee himself. A constant attempt to live upto
one's own Real Nature is called single-pointed devotion. If a vicious sinner changes his
evil thoughts his behavioral pattern gets transformed. If such a person worships The Lord
with undivided devotion he is to be regarded as righteous and thoroughly rehabilitated.
From the moment contemplation on the Supreme is taken up with devotion, the sinner
becomes a saint because he has formed a resolution to abandon the evil ways of his early
life. He will soon grow out of himself into the spiritual glory. The evil of the past cannot
be washed away except by his turning to God with undivided heart.
This verse does not mean that there is an easy escape from the consequences of our
deeds. We cannot prevent the cause from producing its effect. Any arbitrary interference
with the order of the world is not suggested. When the sinner turns to God with
undistracted devotion, a new cause is introduced.
His redemption is conditional on his repentance. Repentance is a genuine change of heart
and includes regret for the past sin and a decision to prevent a repetition of it in the
future. When once the resolution is adopted, the transformation of the lower into higher is
steadily effected.
If only human effort is to be depended upon for this change, it may be hard, erroneous,
imperfect and difficult to overcome the ego. By surrendering the ego when one opens
himself to the Divine, The Lord takes up the burden of changeover and lifts the soul to
the spiritual plane from its contamination. A peace of charcoal loses its blackness only
when it is charged with fire.
kshipram bhavati dharmaatmaa shashwacchaantim nigacchati
kaunteya pratijaaneehi na me bhaktah pranashyati // 9.31 //
He soon becomes righteous and attains to eternal peace; O Kaunteya, know you for
certain that My devotee never perishes.
24. The effect of single-pointed devotion to The Lord is stated here. Sri Krishna says that
such a person soon becomes righteous - he realizes the Divine Atman in himself. He
attains eternal peace - an inward peace which is beyond the tumults of the daily living.
He lives in tranquility free from agitations and excitements. He rediscovers in himself his
own real nature which is Supreme Peace. Such a devotee never perishes or is destroyed.
The seeker of the nobler values shall have no failures if his resolve is firm and his
application is sincere.
The import of this and the previous verses is that the constant awareness of the Divine
Principle protects the human personality from the destructive nature of its negative
tendencies. Once we place ourselves in the hands of the Divine we cannot fall into the
chasm of darkness.
maam hi paartha vyapaashritya ye’pi syuh paapayonayah
striyo vaishyaastathaa shoodraaste'pi yaanti paraam gatim // 9.32 //
For, taking refuge in Me, they also O Partha, who might be of inferior birth - Women,
Vaishyas and Sudras - attain the supreme goal.
This verse requires a little careful understanding. The words `persons of inferior birth-
women, vaishyas and sudras- should not be regarded as justifying the customs prevailing
then debarring these segments of the society from Vedic Study. Hinduism does not
restrict salvation to any one group or section of the community nor does it regard any
class of people as inferior by birth. More so, when the Gita , the Universal Scripture, is
addressed to the humanity in general without distinction of race, gender or caste. This
verse merely refers to the view prevalent in those historical times and does not attribute
any sanction or mandate to the social practices then prevailing. These terms are to be
understood as indicating some unique and varying qualities of the human mind and
intellect obtained in different individuals at different points of time in history and not as
denoting any caste or gender.
This verse says that through constant remembrance of The Lord and meditation upon the
Divine Self with single pointed mind and devotion not only men of evil ways are
redeemed but even those who cannot attune themselves to spirituality due to some
impediments in them can also achieve progress. Sri Krishna means that when the peculiar
shortcomings are removed such people also attain the Supreme Goal.
kim punarbraahmanaah punyaa bhaktaa raajarshayastathaa
anityamasukham lokamimam praapya bhajaswa maam // 9.33 //
How much more easily then the holy Brahmanas and devoted Royal Saints attain the
goal; having come to this transitory and joyless world, you do worship Me.
As compared to those who were referred to in the previous verse, Sri Krishna says how
much easier and natural it would be for the Rajarishis (kings who have attained
25. saintliness even while continuing to discharge their duties as kings) and holy Brahmanas
who are bestowed with purity of mind to achieve Self-Realization.
The world is described by The Lord here as transient and joyless. The most characteristic
feature of the world of experiences is that no experience is permanent at any period of
time or place. Again no experience can be entirely satisfactory to any one. The world is
lived by men in a field consisting of objects, instruments of perception and mental
moods. As all these three factors are always in a state of variableness, the joys that come
to us through these variable entities must also be transient. When the joys are broken, it
becomes a joyless world and not merely a world of sorrows. Hence Sri Krishna advises
Arjuna that he must engage himself constantly in the worship of the Self, having taken
birth in this world which is anityam and asukham. This path alone can bring about
imperishable happiness. The Gitacharya shows us the way out of this world of
transitoriness and the curse of joylessness by asking us to take refuge in Him, the Divine.
manmanaa bhava madbhakto madyaajee maam namaskuru
maamevaishyasi yuktwaivamaatmaanam matparaayanah // 9.34 //
Fix your mind on Me ; be devoted to Me ; sacrifice to Me ; bow down to Me. Having thus
disciplined yourself and regarding Me as the Supreme goal, you shall come to Me.
This verse summarizes the ideas enunciated in the entire Chapter. The technique for self-
development and self-perfection through right knowledge and meditation is
`contemplation on That, talking on That, discussing That, and to live on the bliss-concept
of the Reality'. This is called the pursuit of Brahman or Brahma Vidya. This thought is
expounded here by Sri Krishna .The Lord says `with the mind ever filled with Me, My
devotee makes all sacrifices and offers all salutations to Me at all times in whatever
activity he is engaged in'.
“It is not the personal Krishna to whom we have to give ourselves up utterly but the
Unborn, Beginningless, Eternal who speaks through Krishna. The way to rise out of our
ego-centered consciousness to the divine plane is through the focusing of all our energies,
intellectual, emotional and volitional, on God. Then our whole being is transformed and
lifted up into the unity and universality of spirit. Knowledge, love and power get fused in
a supreme unification. Joy and peace are the result of self-oblivion, of utter abandonment,
of absolute acceptance”. Dr.S.Radhakrishnan.
Sri Krishna promises Arjuna `taking Me as the supreme goal you shall come to Me'.
When one surrenders to The Lord without reservation, his whole life undergoes a
wonderful transformation. His mind becomes one with the Divine Consciousness. Such a
sage gets rid of ignorance and all limiting adjuncts through direct realization of the Self
and becomes one with the Para Brahman. He attains Jivanmukti or liberation in this very
life.
26. om tat sat iti srimadbhagavad geetaasu upanishatsu brahma vidyaayaam
yogashaastre sri krishnaarjuna samvaade raajavidyaa raajaguhyayogo naama
navamodhyaayah ||
Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita,the science of the Eternal, the
scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the ninth discourse
entitled : The Yoga of Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret.
Concepts and Issues
The following concepts are dealt with in this section.
Non-worshippers are caught in the wheel of birth & death
Worshipping of other gods
Devotion and its effects
Why at all the lord requires offering from a seeker?
Result of such dedication of activities
The Lord says that who ever offer Him with love and devotion even water, a leaf, a
flower or a fruit He accepts it. He is not concerned with the quality of the article offered
to Him by the devotees, for He watches only their motive and devotion. Even if the worst
sinners worship Him with exclusive devotion, they will be regarded as righteous, for they
have taken a right step. “To these men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, to
those ever self-controlled, I secure which is not already possessed (Yoga) and preserve
what they already possess (Kshema).” This assurance contained in the Verse 9.22 is the
focus of the Lord’s advice. Sri Krishna assures Arjuna thus: `My devotee, who has
sincerely offered his soul to Me, will never perish. Whatever action you do in your daily
life, like eating, drinking, reading practice of austerity, offerings in sacrifice etc. do it as
an offering to Me and not with a selfish motive. Those who take refuge in Me will attain
the Supreme Goal even though they may have some impediments. So, Arjuna, fix your
mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice unto Me, bow down to Me, having thus united
yourself with Me, taking Me as the Supreme Goal, you shall come to Me'.
Live as the Gita Teaches You to Live
In this discourse The Lord reveals the secret that nothing can exist apart from Him. He is
both the manifested and Unmanifested Reality of the Universe. He who is aware of this
secret of Reality and Existence will surely reach Him. For this the guidance is given by
the Lord in Verses 9.22, 9.27, 9.30, 9.31 & 9.34 suggesting a plan of action for the
devotees and seekers.
Points to Ponder
1. How even the worst sinner can reform himself to become a noble natured person?
2. What is the Plan of Action suggested by the Lord to reach Him?
Next time we will take up Chapter 10
HARIH OM
